Improved bauboad-bail dump ob chaib



E. WATKINS.

RAIL RAIL CLAMP 0R 01mm.

No 73,679. Patented Jan. 21, 1868.

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JOHN E. WATKINS, OF -SMITHFIELD, KENTUCKY.

I Letters Patent No. 73,679, dated January 21,1868.

mrsovsn RAILROAD-BAH. 0mm on cam.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. WATKINS, of Smithfield, in the county of Henry, and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Clamp} and I do'hereby declare that the following is a. full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilldd in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which-.-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved clamp attached to the ends of two rails.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same taken through the line at c, fig. 1.

Similanlettcrs of reference indicate corresponding parts My invention has for its-object to'furnish an improved clamp for railroad-rails,by means of which the end of the rails may be kept in line, both vertically rindhorizontally, with each other, and which shall hold the ends oi" the rails firmly and securely at the same time that it does not interfere with their contraction and expansion; and it consists in the inclined flange upon the outer edge of the upper side of the'basesplat'e to support and brace the brace-key; in the inclined flange upon the'inner edge of the upper side of the base plate to support and brace the key and spikes; in the wedge-shaped keys for tightening the rails in theclamp; in the wedge-chirped spikes for holding and wedging the key; the whole being constructed and arranged as hercihafter more fully described. I

G is the clamp, which is made of wrought iron, and which may be nisde of any desired length. C is a flange formed upon or attached to the outer edge of the upper side of the bed-plate G, and which inclines upward and inward, as shown in fig. 2. (1 is a. flange formed upon or attached to the inner edge of the upper side of the bed-plate C, and which inclines upward andinward in the same manner as the flange 'C, but does not rise as high as said flange C. The outer side of the clamp G is secured to the ties by ordinary spikes passing down through holes in the flange .G and bed-plate C, and its inner side by peculiarly-shaped spikes A, v

hereinafter more fully described. K is the brace-key, which is made of wrought iron, and the inner side of I which fits accurately upon the outer side of the rails, and it extends upward, so that its top or upper edge may be flush with the top of the rails, so as to overlap the ends of the hdjae'ent rails, thus forming a continuous bearing for the cararhcels, andprsvcnting the ends of said rails from being injured by the said-wheels. The dove-tailed seat for tho rails, formed by the flanges C and C, is madea'ider'than the base of the rails, and the lower part of the brace-key K passes down at the side of the base of said rails, rests upon the bed-plate C, and has notches formed in its outer edge, which fit upon the spikes and prevent the said brace-key from being moved longitudinally. F is the clamping-key, which is made ofwrought iron, and is so formed as to fit between the inner sides of the rails and the inner flange C, so as to wedge or clamp all thepsrts closely together. The key F is made a little wedge-shaped, so that, should the parts wear loose, they may be again tightened by driving in the key F, or by drawing it in by the wedgeshaped spikes A. The spikes A pass down through notches in the inner edge of the flange C, through holes or slots in the outer edge of the key F, and through holes or slots in the bod-plate C. The lower part of the spikes A, that are driven into the ties, are made in the form of erdinaryspikes, but their upper part is made broad, and one edge is made inclined or wedge-shaped, as shown in-fig. 1, so as to draw the key F farther into the clamp, and tighten the parts should they wear loose. The upper parts of the spikes A project upward above the clamp, are at such a distance from the rails that the dodges of the car-wheels will pass between them and the rails, and are supported or braced by the upper edge of the flange C, so as to strengthen and hold them in position.

I claim as new, and desire'tc secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the flanged clamp C, brace-key K, and tightening-key F, when secured in position upon the rails by means of the spikes passing through the flange G, the key K and the base-plate C. upon the outside of the rail,.and by the wedge-shaped'spikes A, passing through the flange 0, key F, and base-plate 0' upon the inside of the rail, as herein shown and described for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the flanged or dovo-tailed elamp G, brace-key K, tightening-key F, and wedgeshaped spikes A, with each other, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose set forth.

I J. E. WATKINS. Witnesses:

F. H. Goonaxnoz, W. D. Asnu. 

